And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.
The Joy of the Lord
A middle-aged schoolteacher invested her life savings in a business enterprise that turned out to be a swindle. When her investment disappeared and the wonderful dream was shattered, she went to the local office of the Better Business Bureau. "Why on earth didn't you come to us first?" they asked. "Didn't you know about the Better Business Bureau?" "Oh, yes," the teacher said sadly, "I've always known about you. But I didn't come because I was afraid you'd tell me not to do it."
That's the attitude many people have toward God. They know that He's there, but they're afraid to come to Him because He might throw a wet blanket on their plans. They know He'll tell them the truth; they just don't want to hear it.
When Solomon, God's choice for Israel's king, proceeded to be crowned, the hearts of the people were filled with joy. The procession down to Gihon, where Solomon was officially declared king, was filled with the sound of music and celebration. This is the way it should be with us too. Obeying the will of the Lord is always a cause for rejoicing, not a cause for mourning.
Satan would have us believe that God is a killjoy. He lies to us and tells us that the farther we stay away from what God wants, the greater our chances to be truly happy. But countless people have been ruined by Satan's lies. Only the Lord is able to give true, lasting joy. The closer we walk with Him, the more cause we have to rejoice.
Discover for yourself what a joy it is to walk in God's will. You will learn that there is a direct relationship between obedience to God and joy from God. Let the joy of the Lord fill your heart. Ask Him to remove anything that is preventing you from fully experiencing His joy. Then discover the delight of obeying Jesus.
Joy is inextricably tied to Jesus.